I'm a Sucker for Advertising. (Banana Muffin recipe)

I've always said that Advertising works and yesterday those words rang in my ears again as I took Lily to the local news agency to purchase something we had seen on the telly.  The new Dora 'Little Cook Collection'.  How could I resist the $2.99 price tag for the two year old who is Dora mad (just like her big sister once was).   Of course the first issue sucks you in with a low price tag and then the future issues jump up to $7.99, then $12.99!

Miss Lily insisted we make the muffin recipe inside the magazine straight after walking back in the front door.  So, being the obliging mother I can be at times, we did.  A very simple Banana Muffin recipe with easy to follow instructions and the result?  Delicious.

Here's the recipe - it only makes 4, but I didn't mind that as I know that none would go to waste and they were very simple, easy and took no time to make....

You need...
1 large banana
40g soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons rapeseed oil (I used olive oil!)
1 small egg
65ml milk
100g self-raising flour

1.  Peel and mash the banana in a bowl using the back of a fork.  Mix in the sugar and the oil.

2.  Crack the egg into the bowl.  Pour in the milk and stir.

3.  Sieve the flour into the mixing bowl.

4.  Gently stir in the flour into the rest of the ingredients.

5.  Spoon the mixture into four muffin cases.  Fill each case almost up to the top.

6.  Place in a 190 degree C oven for 15-20 minutes.  Take them out and leave to cool.

As Dora would say, "Delicioso!"

Feeding the Young Ones.

One thing I have always known when cooking or baking is, food presentation means a lot. I'm sure you know that too and have experienced good and bad food presentation, both at home and out. I feel it is especially important when trying to get kids to eat food.

Monet wasn't half the trouble Lily is at this age. She's a bit of a nightmare actually, one week liking something, the next week not. Eight out of ten times at least 50% of her meal ends up on the floor under her highchair. She thinks it is great fun throwing her meal on the floor. I eliminated this problem at lunch time. If she's having a sandwich I press out her sandwich using little flower cutters. This way she'll eat the majority of her lunch.

Most meal times the girls eat before MrL and I.  Sometimes they have something completely different to us or sometimes the same.  On tonight's menu is 'Steak and Chips'.  MrL and I are having NZ Rib Eye (yummoh), the girls Australian Rump. ;P  We're all having homemade chips, done Heston style, (yum, yum, yum) and a little side salad.  To at least get the girls to eat some form of healthy stuff, my little flower cookie cutter gets a good work out.... (and trust me, it is seriously no trouble)

Monet's (6) on the left, Lily's (1) on the right

A bit of presentation makes all the difference here.  Monet quickly gobbled up everything, most of Lily's steak was eaten, a few chips, the olives, carrot and cheese.

What handy hints can you tell me about feeding children?

Chicken Margherita

Ooo this was yummy, light to eat and oh so easy. Being the talented (ahem!) mother that I am, I actually made this dish into three different ones - one for the adults (MrL and I), one for the child (being Monet) and one for the toddler (being Lily). It was absolutely not a pain changing it for each group.

The adults recipe is the one that follows the main recipe. (However I couldn't find any bocconcini cheese and had some brie in the fridge so used that instead.) For the Monet version, I excluded the tomato, the spinach and the bocconcini, but instead still used the pesto and added cheddar cheese, then wrapped the chicken in streaky bacon. For the Lily version I just pulled it all apart so she had a bit of bacon, some cheese chunks, some cooked chicken breast which had a bit of pesto on it. Most of it was eaten - always a good sign.

Chicken Margherita

Taken from page 286, Women's Weekly FAST chunky book. (published 2009)

Ingredients
550g baby vine-ripened truss tomatoes
4 x 200g chicken breast fillets
1/3 cup basil pesto
180g bocconcini cheese
20g baby spinach leaves
8 slices prosciutto (120g)

Method
Preheat oven to 200C fan-forced.

Remove four tomatoes from truss; slice thinly.

Split one chicken fillet in half horizontally; open out. Spread one tablespoon of pesto on one side of chicken fillet; top with a quarter of the cheese, a quarter of the sliced tomato and a quarter of the spinach.

Fold chicken over filling; wrap with two slices prosciutto to enclose securely. Repeat process with remaining chicken, pesto, cheese, sliced tomato, spinach and prosciutto.

Roast chicken and remaining tomatoes in oiled large shallow baking dish, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until cooked through (Mine took about 30 minutes).

Serve chicken with roasted tomatoes.

Serves 4.

Wrapped in the prosciutto, waiting to be roasted.

Lily's version on the left, Monet's on the right (served with teeny, tiny cut up potatoes I tossed in olive oil and roasted for the same time as the chicken - tasty!)

Finished version.  Yum.

Banana Bread

This recipe was so (so) simple, that I am not lying to you when I say that Monet practically made it by herself! Sure I measured out the ingredients but she used the sifter, mixed and help add the wet ingredients. The only thing she really didn't do was put it in the oven and she most definitely liked the bowl!! I will no doubt, be making this recipe again. It was easy and the result was delicious...

*Taken from the Australian website 'Taste'*

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups Self Raising Flour

1/4 cup plain flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2/3 cup firmly packed, brown sugar

1/2 cup skim milk

2 eggs, lightly whisked

50g butter, melted, cooled

2 bananas, mashed

Method

Heat oven to 180C. Grease a loaf tin with melted butter then line with baking paper, draping the paper over the sides.

Sift together the SR flour, plain flour and cinnamon into a large bowl. Mix in brown sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, eggs, butter and bananas. Combine this with the flour and sugar mixture. Mix until well combined.

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Enjoy!

Mini Dim Sims

In my time I have made up my own version of spring rolls, which I always enjoy. But I have never been motivated or even remotely interested for that matter, to make my own Dim Sims. I live with the Dim Sim King (Lyndon loves a good dimmie) and I thought I might take a chance and make some, after I spied a packet of Dim Sim wrappers in the fridge department of my local Coles.

Well, weren't they delicious? They were easy to make, not at all fiddly (truly) and I will probably be making them again in the very near future. And to top things off, Monet loved them and so did Lyndon!! Next time I would probably add a little chopped Chinese cabbage to make them a little more authentic. I fried half and I steamed half. Either way they took hardly anytime to cook and either way was nice.

This recipe was taken from the back of the Dim Sim wrappers pack, but I added quantities.

Ingredients
1 packet 30 dim sim wrappers
350 g mince (I used chicken)
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 egg

Method
Mix all ingredients together until combined. Using dim sim wrappers, place a teaspoon of combined ingredients on each. Fold the ends in and roll, using a little water to make the two ends meet.

Either fry until golden, or steam until cooked through.

Enjoy with soy sauce.

Makes about 30.

Tuna Fritters with Whipped Fetta

These would have to be the tastiest tuna fritters I have ever tasted. Repeat. Ever tasted. They were delicious and if Lyndon liked them, well, that is really saying something. I think it is the combination of Tabasco sauce and lemon zest which really 'lift' them. Very simple to make with cheap ingredients. Try them.

Since I don't own a food processor, I used my Bamix with the 'mincer' attachment. I also find it better to place the uncooked fritters in the fridge to 'set' for at least 20 minutes before frying.

*Taken from Karen Martini's 'Where The Heart Is'*

Ingredients

100 g fetta

100 g ricotta

50 ml pouring cream

185 g canned tuna in springwater, drained

2 tsp lemon zest

2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, chopped

3 splashes Tabasco sauce

2 eggs

250 g potatoes, cooked and mashed

3 spring onions, sliced

3 cups (210 g) fresh breadcrumbs

1/2 cup (75 g) plain flour

olive oil, for frying

lemon wedges, to serve

watercress sprigs, to serve (optional)

Method

To make the whipped fetta, place fetta, ricotta and cream in a food processor with 3-4 tbs water and blend until smooth and light.

To make the fritters, place the tuna in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add lemon zest, parsley, Tabasco sauce and 1 egg and process. Add potatoes and process until combined. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in spring onions and 3 tbs of the breadcrumbs. Use your hands to shape mixture into small fritters about 6cm in diameter.

Beat remaining egg. Dip fritters in flour to coat. Dip into beaten egg, then in remaining breadcrumbs. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry fritters for 2 minutes on each side or until cooked, then drain on kitchen paper. Serve with whipped fetta, lemon wedges and watercress if desired.

Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup

I don't know where I originally got this recipe but over the years I have added and changed a few things, so I am claiming it as my own recipe now! We love this soup, especially Monet!!

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely

4 cups chicken stock

1 cooked chicken breast, chopped into small pieces (or use left over roast chicken like I usually do)

1 can creamed corn, (use either 310g or 440g tin)

1 handful frozen corn kernels

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1 handful of uncooked vermicelli pasta (optional - good for thickening)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and fry the onions until soft, but not brown. Add the chicken stock to the pan followed by the chicken, creamed corn, corn kernels, spring onion and pasta (if using). Bring slowly to the boil (or wait until pasta is cooked through, if using). Add the egg in one long stream, using a fork where it meets the liquid soup, to beat into the mixture. Cook for one minute. Enjoy.

Serves 4-6

La Pappa Per Il Bebe

A simple sauce for the baby

I made this very simple pasta sauce for Monet last night. It took her some convincing to eat (she is very fussy!) but it was honestly delicious. I served it over dinosuar shaped pasta and topped with a little fresh grated cheese... Unfortunately, I didn't get to take a photo!

*Taken from the cookbook 'Allegro Al Dente - Pasta & Opera'*

Ingredients
3 ripe tomatoes
2 tbs water
1 tsp butter
1 basil leaf

Method
Dunk the tomatoes into boiling water for a few seconds, then peel off skin. Cut in half, squeeze out the seeds and chop remaining flesh to a pulp.

Combine the pulp in a small pot with water, butter and basil leaf and cook very, very gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cooked pasta, heat through and serve.

Serves 1 toddler.